To New Beginnings
by RachelKatherine
Summary: We all know the real reason Jane followed Maura to Paris. She cannot imagine life without her. Follow our leading ladies to the City of Lights where one question will change their lives forever! *ONE-SHOT* *COMPLETE*


A/N: This picks up from the series finale, but Rizzles is semi-established here. If you're anti-Rizzles, unboard the ride here, okay?

Seriously.

Now.

For you Rizzles fanatics... prepare yourselves. Because let's get real, two best friends don't just up and go to Paris for a month together...but lovers do! We hope y'all like this, and no, this is not us abandoning our other current fic, Chapter 3 will be posted tonight! We just had to write this little one-shot based on the ending of the show. Did y'all love it? We bawled our eyes out! This show will forever live on in our hearts!

DISCLAIMER: Still don't own them. Never will. Boo hiss.

* * *

Maura primped in the mirror one final time, carefully applying her lipstick, before heading back into the bedroom where she had been attempting to wake Jane for the past hour. Hair curled, makeup carefully applied, clad in a green silk dress and, opting for comfort, 4-inch nude pumps. Maura had pulled the covers off Jane, turned on the lights, even resorted to taking the brunette's pillow from her. Jane had just turned over and used the duvet as a makeshift pillow. Maura was at her wits end. She stomped her foot, and did the most unladylike thing she could think of.

She flicked her. Right on the nose. Hard.

Jane shot up in the bed like a cannon. "Who the fu- did you- why- MAURA YOU FLICKED ME!" She accused, rubbing her face.

"Jane," Maura began patiently, "it is 5:30 in the morning. We have to be at the airport and checked in by 6, which is clearly not going to happen. I've been trying to wake you for an hour." Maura walked around the bedroom, fastening her earrings.

Jane grumbled something unintelligible about early morning flights and how chipper Maura was at this ungodly hour. She threw herself out of the bed and trudged into the bathroom. She wasted no time jumping in the shower, brushing her teeth while in there to conserve time. She was in and out in less than ten minutes. She pulled on some sweatpants and a hoodie, threw her hair up in a messy bun, and was tying her Chucks when Maura came back into the bedroom.

Maura stopped dead in her tracks, but rather than make a snide remark to Jane about how messy she looked, Maura smiled at her, then checked her watch. "Less than 15 minutes to get ready. Impressive," she called out as she double-checked her passport and wallet.

"Yeah, right," Jane muttered, "Impressive."

Maura stopped on a dime and turned on the heel of her pumps, approaching Jane so close that Jane could see the flecks of green in her eyes. "Sweats, no makeup, and wearing a hoodie… and yet you're still gorgeous, Jane." She placed a brief kiss to Jane's temple, her hand rubbing absentmindedly up and down Jane's arm.

Jane smiled bashfully, still not accustomed to Maura's sweet compliments after all these years. "Thanks, Maur." She noticed Maura pulling her carry on, her laptop bag, her purse and some other small embroidered bag that Jane was quite certain she had packed the entire bathroom sink in. "Here," Jane offered, "Let me carry some of these for you."

Maura handed some of the bags over to Jane and called out to her as she made her way down the stairs. "The cab is waiting!"

Jane called after her, "On my way!" She made a brief detour to the guest bedroom and pulled a small box out of the nightside table. Shaking, she placed it in her carry on, wanting to make absolutely certain that it made its way to Paris. As she passed the mirror, she glanced back at herself and smiled. She had been waiting for months to gather the courage. It was now or never. And what a better backdrop than one of most romantic cities in the world?

* * *

Maura tapped her foot anxiously while waiting in the security line. Of course, on the day they were taking an international flight that they were already late for, the lines were the longest they've been since Christmas.

"Damn, I really wish I could flash my badge to get us through this line, but we're not necessarily dressed like we're on official business or anything," Jane said, looking down and chuckling at her sweatpants and BPD hoodie. "Well, maybe _you_ do," Jane said as she rolls her eyes at Maura's knee-length dress and 4-inch heels. "Maura, we're going to sit on a plane for seven hours. You're never going to be comfortable in _that_."

"Jane, this dress is silk and these heels are extremely sensible. I'll be just fine," Maura fires back, clearly worried about the time.

A regularly-dressed man catches Jane's eye as she sees him walking to a line that no one is in. He flashes a badge, runs his carry-on through the x-ray, and walks on into the terminal. He went through the whole process in maybe 30 seconds.

"Excuse me, sir?" Jane yells to another man approaching the same line.

"Um... yes?" the blond-haired, middle aged man says, confused if Jane was talking to him or not.

"What is this special line for that I keep seeing people with badges going to? We have badges, I'm Boston Police and she's the Chief Medical Examiner," Jane asked.

"Oh I'm sorry, but this line is for Flight Crews only. Just your old average Joe Pilot like me. Sorry, all of you regular passengers have to stay in those lines," he says, motioning a quick goodbye and walking on to the line.

"All you regular passengers, _blah blah blah_ , what an asshole," Jane said, annoyed by the man who was not at all trying to be rude, but with it being 6:30am and Jane being already overwhelmingly annoyed, she was not in the best of moods to begin with.

Finally, they got to the front of the line and got through security. As Jane was re-tying her Chucks, Maura decided to run ahead of her to the gate, which she noticed was at the end of the terminal. Jane bounded after her, trying not to be distracted by the way Maura's ass bounced as she ran. They made it to the gate only to see on the electronic sign that the flight was delayed for approximately two hours due to a broken part on one of the wings. Maura let out a sigh of relief while also becoming ten times more annoyed. They found two seats by the gate and sat, taking deep breaths, anticipating the moment they could get on the plane and get out of the country. It had already been quite an eventful morning.

After an hour of sitting, a new boarding time was displayed on the screen, 10:05am, with a departure time of 10:55. Jane noticed it was nearing 9:30 and her stomach was starting to rumble.

"Hey Maur," Jane said, placing her hand on Maura's knee, "I'm going to go get a muffin and a coffee from Dunkin Donuts. Want anything?"

"Mmm…" Maura contemplated, "I'll come with you, I have no idea what I want. But we have to hurry, Jane, they're going to start boarding soon."

Jane laughed at her best friend. "Okay okay, come on then."

Of course, as luck would have it, Dunkin Donuts was at the opposite end of the terminal by security, and Jane and Maura were behind only one person in line, but this person could not make up their mind on which donut they wanted. Jane tried to keep her cool, and as soon as she was getting ready to make a sarcastic remark, the woman placed her final order. Jane and Maura ordered quickly, and Jane was waiting for her coffee as she heard, "Flight 1703 to Paris is now finishing boarding."

"Shit Maura, did you hear that? We gotta go!" Jane yelled as she snatched her coffee and took off running back down the terminal toward the gate.

"Ja- Jane, wait!" Maura yelped as she started trotting after her, bran muffin and water bottle in hand.

"We are looking for passengers Maura Isles and Jane Rizzoli for Flight 1703 to Paris, the doors will be closing in one minute."

"Maura, come on!" Jane yelled behind her as Maura tried to run as fast as she could in her heels. She really didn't want to take them off, but she knew she had no other choice or she was going to miss the flight, so she grabbed them off her feet and ran. She cringed at the amount of germs she was picking up on her feet and yelled, "I have no time to put my emergency socks on! You're lucky I have Lysol wipes, Jane!"

Jane ran through the crowds in the terminal, weaving between families. This was one of those moments that she was thankful for her police training helping her in real life. As she was approaching the gate, a runaway suitcase caught her eye right where she was running toward. She jumped like an Olympic hurdler over the suitcase and made it to the gate as they were closing the doors. "Wait, wait!" Jane yelled at the gate agent, coming to a screeching halt right in front of him, noticing that half of her coffee was spilling down her arm in the process. "Ow, shit!" she yelped.

Maura ran right up behind her and came to her aid immediately with a napkin and a smile. "We're Maura Isles and Jane Rizzoli, sorry about that. _This one's_ stomach couldn't handle another second without food." Maura nudged Jane, taking out their boarding passes. Maura kept them in her bag along with both of their passports, because to be honest, she didn't trust Jane with their important documents.

As they boarded the plane, Jane was greeted by the flight attendant, and none other than the pilot, now in uniform, that she met at security. "Oh great," she muttered, " _This_ guy is the one flying us to Paris?"

"Welcome aboard," he replied sarcastically with a chuckle before shutting the cockpit door.

* * *

Jane motioned for Maura to take her seat while Jane attempted to shove Maura's carry-on in the compartment above her. Despite Maura's pleas to move it back one compartment, Jane scoffed. "Maura, I'd like for our stuff to be together so," Jane slammed the compartment door, with a smile. "that way we don't have to wait for everyone behind us-" Jane was cut off as the compartment door flew open, carry-on's tumbling out and on top of her.

Maura helped Jane up, trying, but failing miserably, to not laugh at her. She assisted Jane with placing the carry-on's in the bin behind them and they both took seats. Maura reached out and squeezed Jane's hand, but not making direct eye contact with her. Jane pouted for a good ten minutes, rubbing her head and her shoulder, when Maura took pity on her and gave her an awkward shoulder massage because of their seats. She felt badly that it just seemed to be one of those mornings for Jane.

"There," Maura punctuated, "feel better?" She ended the massage and placed a chaste kiss to Jane's lips. Jane nodded, leaning her head back on the headrest as they prepared for take-off.

Maura watched out the window as Boston grew smaller and smaller beneath them. "I don't remember if I mentioned how excited I am that you planned to come to Paris with me." Maura looked back over at Jane, who had already fallen back asleep. Maura chuckled, pulled out a medical journal and began reading, glancing occasionally at Jane as she twitched in her sleep. Maura placed a hand on Jane's knee, rubbing in small circles to soothe her. It worked like a charm, too, as Jane and Maura both slept over half the flight, Jane's head resting comfortably on Maura's shoulder, despite her neck pillow. Jane's left arm was intertwined with Maura's as Maura's hand rested comfortably on Jane's knee.

As the plane made its final descent into Paris hours later than anticipated, Jane grew more and more excited, squeezing Maura's hand and looking back and forth between Maura and the window seat, which Maura had gladly given up during the last potty break. The potty break she remembered fondly, where Jane spent at least an hour trying to convince Maura to let Jane earn her membership into the Mile High Club. Maura loved watching Jane display her excitement. The Jane Rizzoli she knew at work and the Jane Rizzoli she had grown to love in private were two very different people. _Her_ Jane was unashamedly enthusiastic, reveling in the smaller details of their life together. It's what kept Maura grounded.

As they touched down, Jane bit her lip and looked at Maura. Then Jane rendered Maura speechless when she grabbed Maura's face in her hands, and squealed. "We're here, Maur!" She bounced up and down in her seat, like she was a child. She received several judgemental glares from business people up and down the aisle, but she ignored them all and focused on her excitement. Maura was just giddy that Jane had been so willing to express her affections in public, something they struggled within the day-to-day back home.

They gathered their luggage as quickly as they could and made their way to the Hotel Sofitel Paris le Faubourg, and despite feeling the exhilaration of being in the City of Lights and having a long nap, it was the middle of the night in Paris and they were both worn out from traveling. It was unspoken, but both of them longed for a shower and a king-sized bed to fall into. Jane walked behind Maura, mouth gaping as she took in the three story foyer and the larger than life chandelier. The hotel was desolate, save for some tourists also checking in, and Jane let out a low whistle.

"Wow, Maura, this place is incredible." Jane was in awe. She had never stayed in such a luxurious hotel. She sidled up behind Maura, placing her arm around her waist and drawing her in. Maura groaned, leaning into Jane, alternating standing on one foot at a time and rotating her ankles.

"I'll give you the best foot rub you've ever had as soon as we get to the room," Jane promised. Maura smiled gratefully, finally admitting that wearing 4-inch heels had not been the smartest idea. But as she strutted in front of Jane to the elevators, Jane wholeheartedly disagreed.

* * *

Maura stood under the spray of the shower head and let the tension in her neck and back disappear. She heard the shower stall door open and smiled as she felt a familiar weight pressed up against her back. Jane's hands wandered over her shoulders in firm strokes, then made their way down the plane of her stomach and finally up to her breasts. She giggled as Jane's thumbs brushed the underside of her breasts by her ribcage, and she felt Jane smile against her neck. "I'm so happy to be here with you," Maura sighed as she relaxed into Jane.

"Me, too, Maur." Jane assured her, placing open-mouthed kisses all along the column of her neck. Jane placed body wash on the loofah Maura had brought with her and Jane soaped her back, her shoulders and lightly traced the outline of each breast, down to Maura's navel and in between the apex of Maura's thighs. Maura let out a strangled groan when Jane pulled away, quickly soaping her own body up. Jane just laughed when Maura slapped her ass as she vacated the shower almost as suddenly as she got in.

"YOU TEASE!" Maura yelled at her, and was only met with the sound of her lover's laughter bouncing off the tiled walls.

Later, after room service had been delivered and they were lounging in bed, Jane held Maura's bare foot in between her hands, rubbing a knuckle up and along the instep of her foot. Maura moaned, mouth parted and her head thrown back. "God, Jane, right there- just a- lower... yessss," Maura hissed, as Jane hit the tight ball of muscle in the arch of her foot. Maura blushed as she opened her eyes and met imploring brown eyes watching her, slack-jawed.

"Maura," Jane husked. "That's exactly how you sound when I do that thing with my tongue. Wait… did you just come from me giving you a foot massage? I mean, I- wow."

Maura's face flushed with embarrassment, and Jane's smug all-knowing grin just caused her to flush even more. She threw a pillow at Jane, hitting her square in the face. Maura's laughter filled the otherwise quiet room, using her toes to tickle Jane's side, which caused Jane to jump away from her and ultimately, fall off the end of the bed. Maura's breath caught in her throat as she approached the edge of the bed, not expecting for Jane to pull her down off the bed where they both ended up in a tangle of one another, sheets, and a duvet. After a brief tickling stint where Maura swore to everything holy that she would find a way to make Jane pay if she didn't let go, Jane let her up and they curled up against one another in bed.

Right before Maura fell asleep, she whispered into the darkness. "I- I love you."

Maura waited for a response, but all she heard was the sound of even, peaceful breathing beside her, which eventually lulled her to sleep.

* * *

Their first week in Paris passed uneventfully. They settled into somewhat of a routine. Waking up early and spending time under the sheets, limbs tangled, sweat covered bodies pushing and pulling each other over the edge. In the afternoon, they would sightsee, and then while Jane worked out, Maura would spend some time writing. They would take a stroll through a nearby park in the evening after dinner and then wind up back in bed, never seeming to get enough of each other. Only here did Jane feel safe to be affectionate publicly with Maura, often holding her hand or kissing her as they meandered the streets of Paris.

"I love having you all to myself," Jane whispered to Maura late one night as she stole another kiss, Maura pressed up against a quaint stone wall in Monmartre, Jane's body flush against hers. Maura wasn't accustomed to Jane being so affectionate, but she wasn't complaining.

Maura's face lit up in a smile that made Jane's heart skip a beat. "Me too, Jane. I- this is... it's just been perfect." Maura's voice broke and when a tear slipped down her cheek, Jane knew it was from a feeling of absolute contentment, not from sadness.

* * *

It wasn't uncommon for Maura to wake up in the middle of the night and take her laptop to the balcony where she would sit and type when inspiration hit her. Of course it helped having Jane there with her, her partner in all things adventurous, her muse. There was that nagging voice inside her mind that told her a month in Paris was going to end as quickly as it had begun, and there had been no discussion on whether Jane wanted Maura to accompany her to DC. Maura knew that she was in love with Jane, but she didn't want to pressure Jane into making a knee jerk decision based on a long distance relationship. She brushed a lone tear away, chiding herself for overthinking weeks into the future when everything she ever wanted lay feet away from her, sated and sleeping peacefully.

Unbeknownst to Maura while she was seemingly lost in a writing world all her own, Jane would awake and watch from afar, head propped up on her hand as the small balcony light illuminated Maura's features. As Jane watched Maura's fingers fly over the keyboard, Jane felt physically ill that the days seemed to be passing so quickly. Jane knew that there wasn't anyone else for her that she'd follow halfway around the world. Yes, Jane Rizzoli had finally admitted to herself that she was completely and irrevocably in love with Maura Isles and everything about her. Not to Maura, _yet_ , of course, but she had come to accept it. She knew Maura loved her back, but enough to uproot her whole life for Jane? As Maura carefully slipped back into bed beside her, Jane knew her plan to make Maura her wife needed to be put in high gear.

That next morning, Maura rolled over and reached out to find an empty bed, cold where Jane had lain. Maura checked her watch, in disbelief that Jane had awoken before her. She checked the ensuite with no luck and tried to think of where Jane could be. Shrugging, she sat down to get some work done on her computer. A couple of hours later, she had finished off two cups of coffee, and had completed a chapter of her book when she heard the suite door open.

* * *

Once Jane had given herself a pep talk, she could barely sleep. She had some plans to make and it had to happen today. She had gone out for a morning run with every intention of Maura waking up to breakfast in bed accompanied with an enormous bouquet of flowers, but she got lost leaving the pastry shop and had wondered around for a while, being stubborn and refusing to ask for directions. She had completely lost track of time.

"Good morning, baby," Jane chirped as she walked back into the suite completely unaware of Maura's frazzled nerves.

"Jane, where have you- are those- did you get those for me?" Maura was practically speechless.

Jane nodded shyly, also setting down a bag of croissants, fruit and assorted jellies. "Of course they're for you. I can be romantic sometimes." Maura rolled her eyes and gratefully accepted the flowers Jane extended to her.

"They're beautiful. I love them." She stood on her tiptoes and placed a kiss to Jane's lips which was reciprocated, then deepened.

Before Jane knew it, she was divested of her clothes, discarded and long forgotten while Maura did marvelous things to her with her fingers and tongue in appreciation and gratitude for the romantic gesture. Jane and Maura spent the afternoon in bed, non-verbally deciding to spend the day wrapped up in one another instead. They fed one another and napped briefly until Jane woke Maura and whispered that it was time to get ready.

"Ready? Ready for what?" Had been Maura's sleepy reply.

"You'll see," was all she got in return.

As Maura stood in the closet bigger than Jane's whole apartment, Jane peeked her head back around the corner. "Hey Maur? Wear a dress, okay?"

Maura nodded, mute for once.

While Jane told Maura to wear a dress, she was not anticipating her to step out in deep red fitted dress with a slit that was borderline indecent, her hair curled but pulled back from her face, and a pair of heels that Jane made a mental note to have her keep on at the end of the night.

But as mute as Jane Rizzoli was rendered, it was Maura who gasped. "Jane you look amazing!" Jane was wearing a black strapless a-line dress that stopped right above her knees and a pair of black heels that put her at a definite height advantage. She smirked but blushed, still embarrassed by Maura's verbal displays of approval.

She held Maura at arm's length and took in her beauty. _Wow_ , Jane thought to herself. _I'm going to ask her to marry me. I'm the luckiest woman in the entire world_. "Maur-" Jane's voice broke as she felt tears threaten to fall. "I-I'm speechless. You are gorgeous and I feel so honored to be-" Jane was cut off by a searing kiss, Maura pressing the entire length of her body up against Jane's backing her up against the door of the ensuite.

Jane pulled back and as chocolate eyes met hazel, she had never in her life been more sure about anything. She took Maura's hand in hers and intertwined their fingers as she kissed the back of Maura's hand. Jane led her out of the suite, but not before grabbing her clutch which housed a very important symbol of the biggest commitment Jane would ever make in her life.

Jane led Maura out of the elevators and into the foyer of their hotel. She couldn't help but notice a lot of people turning their heads to look at Maura, who was positively glowing, and in this moment, completely unaware of how beautiful others perceived her. Jane and Maura stepped into a waiting town car that Jane had reserved for the evening before Jane discreetly gave the driver instructions on where to go. Maura looked slightly puzzled as she relaxed back into her seat.

"Jane?" She asked as she saw Jane continuing to fiddle with her clutch. "Do you want me to hold that?"

"NO!" Jane yelled and Maura jumped, completely taken aback by how defensive Jane was.

"I meant, no, Maur. I'm good, it's just a little weird having to carry a purse with me," Jane admitted sheepishly.

"L'Epicure?" Maura asked excitedly, as they pulled up. "Jane! How did you even get reservations here?"

"This is just the first stop of the night," Jane assured her with a loving smile.

"If I don't tell you later, I had a great time tonight." Maura reached out and took Jane's hand as she climbed out of the car.

"We haven't even started our date yet," Jane replied, confused.

Maura smiled at her and winked. "I know."

As they approached the maitre'd, Jane gave her name and they were escorted to a table tucked away in a quaint corner. Jane asked for a very discreet and out-of-the-way table so that if she decided dinner was the place to pop the question, she didn't have to do it with a hundred people watching her.

* * *

Jane was distracted by all the foreign words on the menu, and also some in English that she didn't even know existed.

A man in a crisp white shirt, black bow tie, and black waist apron approached. "Ello, Ladies," he said in a thick French accent as he looked only at Maura, as if Jane didn't even exist. "My name is Pierre, and I will be taking care of you _lovely_ ladies this _fine_ evening," he said with a wink to Maura. This did not go unnoticed by Jane, and she was dangerously close to getting extremely possessive.

"My _girlfriend_ ," Jane stressed the word loudly, getting the waiter's attention, "and I will start with water before we make a decision on a bottle of wine to go with our meals. Thank you!" she said sarcastically. Pierre took the hint, gave her a tight-lipped smile, and walked away stiffly. From behind her, Jane could hear an utterance of "Of course they're lesbians," behind her, but she just rolled her eyes and shrugged it off. Nothing could ruin her night with her beautiful girlfriend and soon-to-be wife.

As Pierre returned to take their orders, Jane was not only extremely confused by the menu, but also very indecisive about what she wanted. When Maura politely told the waiter to give them a moment, Jane exclaimed, "Okay Maur, what the _hell_ are sweetbreads?"

"Oh, they're a delicacy! So rich and I'm sure they're super fresh here. Oh, and I see that they're served with cucumbers and almonds! So yummy!" Maura replied enthusiastically, trying to avoid Jane's real question.

"Okay… but what _are_ they?"

Maura sighed. "They're meat from the thymus gland and pancreas."

Jane visibly gagged. "I can't even begin to think about ingesting that. Nope, moving on."

After a few seconds more, Maura was about to point out the lobster entree when Jane exclaimed, "Oh my God! Farm Hen poached in a _bladder_? That's disgusting! Why is every other thing on this menu an organ on a plate?"

"Actually, ma'am," Pierre said as he popped up from behind Jane, the effect not lost on her as she was significantly weirded out that he was right there, let alone listening to their conversation, "The Farm Hen is one of our most popular and delicious dishes. It is also one of the most pricey, keep in mind," he said as he looked her up and down. The gesture did not go unnoticed by Jane, as she said, "Excuse me? What are you implying?"

"Nothing, Miss…"

"Detective Jane Rizzoli, _Homicide_ Detective, actually." She stressed the word "homicide" to show that she was not playing. He shied away and took their orders speedily, not once meeting Jane's eyes.

"And we'll also take a bottle of the Brunello di Montalcino," Maura said with a smile. Jane didn't even want to look at the price for the bottle of wine that she had never even heard of before, but she just closed the menu and let it be, because she would buy a thousand bottles of wine if it meant satisfying Maura.

"Ladies, I took the liberty of uncork- oof!" Pierre said as he tripped and half of the red wine's contents soaked his pristine white shirt.

"Oops, sorry," Jane said mock-innocently, trying incredibly hard not to laugh. "I didn't even realize my foot was there?"

Pierre glared at her for a long second before announcing that he was going to go get a fresh bottle and shirt before returning.

"Jane!" Maura scolded her girlfriend. "That was incredibly rude." Maura could barely keep the stern look on her face before she erupted into giggles too. "But he deserved it," she laughed.

They finished their meals, ordered another bottle of wine, and shared the Wild Strawberries for dessert, a rather incredible and albeit sexy dessert as Jane watched Maura bite into the strawberries with a sinful moan before she decided that it would be even better if they fed them to one another. Realizing that they were filled with an insane amount of desire and needed to get out of the fancy restaurant before they did something indecent, they were quick to get the check and after a small argument, Jane paid, winning with the argument that this night was all about Maura, and because of that, she was going to pay and treat her girl well.

* * *

"Maura, I'm sorry," Jane apologized as they climbed back into the waiting town car.

Maura giggled, possibly feeling the effects of too much wine, but dismissed Jane with a wave of her hand. "The waiter was rude and creepy," Maura stated plainly. "And stop apologizing. I told you I'm having a great time tonight and I meant it."

She cuddled up against Jane and sighed, "I love you." Jane pressed a kiss to her temple.

Maura peered out the window as the town car came to a stop. "Le Bilboquet?" She pronounced perfectly, then her eyes widened.

As they made their way into the bar, the soft notes of jazz music filled the air. Maura was already starting to sway to the beat, and Jane knew that Maura would be up dancing before long. Jane snagged a tall table for two closer to the bar rather than the small dance floor, and promptly went to the bar to order a round of drinks.

They listened to music and chatted in between sets while they nursed their first round. When the tempo slowed down, Maura pulled Jane up and out onto the dance floor. "Dance with me," she whispered in her ear. Maura's voice dropped an octave and Jane's body reacted to it immediately. The effect wasn't lost on Maura as she led Jane out onto the dance floor.

The beat was slow, and Maura put her arms around Jane's neck and pulled her close. As _Come Away with Me_ flooded her senses, Jane pulled Maura close and swayed back and forth while the musician crooned. Maura could hear Jane humming the song as she rested her head on Jane's shoulder and closed her eyes. As the music slowly changed over to _La Vie En Rose_ , Maura couldn't help but chuckle.

At Jane's inquisitive expression, she leaned back and explained to Jane that this song is about that blissful state you're in when you're in love. Jane's response to that was a slow burning kiss that melted Maura from her head to her toes. She knew in this moment that she had never loved another soul as much as she loved Jane, but the nagging voice in her heart kept her from believing that Jane felt as strongly. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a tall man with a remarkably familiar face, though it was difficult to be certain due to the dim lighting.

Maura stated that she was thirsty again, and Jane left her standing on the edge of the dance floor when the singer began the classic _Save The Last Dance For Me_.

 _"You can dance every dance with the guy who gives you the eye, let him hold you tight-"_

Maura looked back over her shoulder at Jane who was standing patiently at the bar waiting to order another round of drinks. As she turned around, her heart actually skipped a beat as the man she recognized earlier stood before her.

"IAN?!" She couldn't believe her eyes. He picked her up and spun her around, placing her gently back on the ground and then half dragging her out on the dance floor. She stepped back as he tried to pull her in close, music in the background urging him on.

 _"And it's time to go if he asks you if you're all alone, can he walk you home, you must tell him no, 'cause don't forget who's taking you home and in whose arms you're gonna be…"_

"Ian, what are you doing here? I haven't seen you- heard from you in three years." Maura pushed away from him but his hands caught her wrists and he pulled her back in, moving them both to the beat, albeit Maura was much more stiff than relaxed.

Jane had collected their drinks and gone to set them down at their table when she realized Maura was nowhere to be seen. She looked around the edges of the dance floor but it was crowded, so she sat for a few seconds, thinking Maura had gone to the restroom. As the song came to an end and the crowd on the floor dispersed, she could see Maura dancing with a man and she smirked. She probably didn't want to be rude, Jane laughed inside, feeling a sense of pride that her girlfriend was such a sweethearted person.

But as Jane looked closer, there was something about the man from a distance and the way he was trying to hold Maura closer that irked her. It was as if he were very familiar with Maura. As she moved toward the dance floor and his face came into plain sight, her stomach dropped and her heart began beating irregularly. Jane understood from all of her training, this rush of adrenaline was the fight or flight reaction. As the music died down and the musicians took an intermission break, Jane pushed her way through the few remaining wallflowers gathered around the edge of the dance floor and came standing face-to-face with Ian Faulkner.

It took everything in her not to punch him in the face, his hands were holding Maura closely to him and although her palms were flat on his chest, it didn't appear that she was trying to move away. Jane could see that they were talking but it didn't stop her from barging right into their space.

"Jane? What are... um… are you two here together?" He asked, clearly surprised at her presence.

Maura Isles had seen the many faces of Jane Rizzoli, but never had she seen a look of such humiliation and hurt. The look Jane gave her gutted her, and she quickly realized that Jane didn't trust her.

"Jane, wait… please!" she called out, pushing Ian away from her. "Get off of me," she threatened him as he pulled her back to him, and she throttled him in his chest. "I told you she was here with me. I said GET OFF OF ME," she screamed at him, practically drawing the attention of everyone in the quieted bar. He released her instantly when people around them started moving toward him. When Maura turned back around, she could see Jane exiting through the front door. She ran after her as quickly as she could make it through the crowd.

"Jane!" She yelled, but Jane just kept on walking. Walking right past the town car and across the street, Maura knew Jane had no idea where she was headed.

Jane flushed red as she left the bar, striding at an infuriating rate in front of Maura so that she was basically having to run to catch up to her. "Are you fucking kidding me? What are the fucking chances that prick would show up-" Jane mumbled angrily.

"JANE. STOP." Maura finally yelled, making her way around her. "I've been- for blocks-," Maura began, trying to catch her breath. Maura stepped right up into her personal space, placing her hand on Jane's shoulder. Jane stopped, her chest heaving and tears threatening her vision.

"You know I- I didn't have any way of knowing. I would never, ever in a million years... Jane, please. He doesn't mean anything to me anymore. Do not let this ruin our night, this trip. Hell, us." Okay, Maura cursed. She was so pissed, and Jane was inwardly pleased.

"I planned. This was not how- I didn't want there to be any-" Jane was so frustrated she actually put her hands in her hair, pulled and screamed. When she looked back at Maura she noticed that in spite of how confused she looked, her hair had fallen down around her face and her lipstick was smudged from the two of them kissing earlier, Jane realized just how much this woman truly meant to her. Losing her was never going to be an option. She promptly pulled Maura down on the nearest bench and opened her clutch.

"This is where it has to happen. It isn't what I had planned, but I cannot waste another minute of my life carrying this with me," Jane mumbled. Maura actually thought Jane was coming unhinged. She was on the verge of hyperventilating, digging through her clutch for...

"Oh." Was all Maura could manage as Jane handed her the blue Tiffany and Co. box. Maura turned the box over and over, relishing in the weight it provided. She suddenly had an urge to either pass out from exhilaration or throw up. She wasn't sure which, but she knew her whole world had just tilted on its axis.

"Maura," Jane began as she watched Maura fidget with the box. "Maura... I love you." Maura's head shot up. Jane had never said it out loud. Maura knew in her heart that Jane loved her, but she had never heard her utter those words. She had sort of given up hope that that would ever happen. What Jane conveyed to her in three words summed up everything Maura had been dreaming of since she was a child, to have someone choose her.

"When you came into my life, I was completely in awe of you. Your intelligence, beauty, class. Your body," Jane added blushing and Maura laughed. "But mostly because at the end of the day, despite terrible things happening to us and around us, you made me feel safe. Being with you was like coming home," Jane held up her hands, scars still visible.

Maura was crying as she reached out and took Jane's right hand in hers. "These hands, I couldn't stand for anyone to touch except for you. You have broken down walls that no one else cared to. You have mended my heart and my soul and tried to shield me from so much pain. You… you fixed me. I cannot imagine my life without you. I- it wouldn't be worth anything if I couldn't share it with you." Jane nodded to Maura to open the box.

Maura was sobbing audibly, tears rolling down her cheeks, pulling at the white ribbon, and turning the box upside down so that it fell into Jane's open hand. Maura's breath caught as Jane turned the box and opened it for Maura to see. Everything surrounding them seemed to fade into the distance as Jane got down on one knee on the Pont Alexandre Bridge.

"I love you. I have always loved you and if you'll let me, I will spend the rest of our lives together showing you how much you deserve to be loved, adored, worshipped. I want to marry you. I want to raise children with you. I don't care where we go, as long as you're by my side. Maura, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Maura extended her hand, Jane's fingers trembling as she pushed the engagement ring solidly onto Maura's finger. Maura's couldn't believe that Jane had remembered her making an off the cuff remark about that ring. But here they were, Jane down on one knee in Paris, promising to love her forever. Everything she had ever dreamed of was coming true. Jane looked at Maura expectantly, hopefully.

Maura cupped Jane's face in her hands. "There is absolutely nothing in this world that would make me happier than becoming your wife."

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Yaaaaaay! We really hope y'all loved that. We had such a blast writing it! If you haven't already, check out our other current story, called Operation Rizzles!

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-R&K (:


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